What to Look for in Stylish Men’s Overcoats

Section: Inclement Weather Wear - Blog

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When the weather outside is frightful, most men rely on an overcoat as their outer garment of choice. In addition to keeping you warm regardless of temperature, they also enhance your appearance, given their inherent stylish, sleek look.

An overcoat distinguishes a well-dressed man from all others. For example, how do you feel when you see a man dressed in a sharp looking men's suit and a ski parka?

No matter how handsome the suit, the parka adds a discordant note to the ensemble because parkas just don’t play well with tailored suits.

On the other hand, you can sport a knee-length overcoat and tie a fashionable scarf around your neck to create a positive impression, even if you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt underneath the coat.

Overcoat Styles

The single-breasted overcoat is the typical go-to choice for frigid winter days. It’s versatile because it can be worn with a scarf to add flair or without a scarf to display your business shirt and necktie.

In windy or snowy conditions, you can simply double the scarf around your neck and turn your collar up for added protection against the elements.

Double-breasted overcoats (with or without belts) are also a popular choice. A belted version is called a polo coat.

Choosing your Overcoat

When selecting an overcoat, balance its insulating features with your personal style. Black is the basic colour choice for overcoats, and one with which you just can't go wrong. Black goes with everything and is simple to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion.

For the gent who wants a more fashion forward look, however, a bespoke overcoat offers a broader range of fabric colours and pattern choices as well as a personalized fit and length.

When it comes to overcoat fabrics, colours, and patterns, your options include:

• Solids: A staple in every man's wardrobe, solid black, charcoal and even navy are your basic colours for overcoats to match well with most other business attire. For the more adventurous,colours like camel and khaki always make a fashion statement.
• Tweeds: Perfect for gentlemen who enjoy mixing and matching patterns, tweeds can be lots of fun and add pizzazz to your wardrobe. You can create tons of original looks with checks, herringbone and birdseye patterns.

Note: the term "overcoat" is generic and is often used to simply describe a warm jacket that comes in a range of lengths:

• Winter Jacket: Typically the length of a normal suit jacket (just above crotch height), but made from a heavier weighted fabric more suited to keeping out the cold. Usually single breasted and notched or peak lapelled, the winter jacket is generally worn instead of a suit jacket.
  
• Peacoat: Usually double breasted and around crotch length with very wide curved peak lapels. The peacoat can be worn in lieu of a suit jacket.
  
• Above Knee Length Overcoat: Single or double breasted, the above the knee overcoat can look like a winter jacket or peacoat in a longer length. It can also be military style with shoulder and sleeve epaulettes and is often worn with a matching belt. The above the knee coat is generally worn over top of a suit jacket.
  
• Trenchcoat: Similar to the above knee length overcoat, the length of these coats can range from below the knee all the way to ankle length. As with the above the knee coat, a trenchcoat is generally worn over a suit jacket.
  

So if you are trying to work our which coat is best for you, drop into our showroom for a chat or give us a call. Either way the men of Montagio are only too happy to help. We usually have a large selection of heavy cloths that will keep the winter cold at bay!

Visit our winter overcoats & trenchcoats page for more information.

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